Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro traveled to Brazil as part of an official visit to meet with his counterpart Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva where the pair discussed regional and international cooperation, including the potential entry of Venezuela into the BRICS bloc.
The high-level meeting comes as part of joint efforts to strengthen their bilateral ties following the restoration of diplomatic and economic relations after years of tension under Lula’s predecessor Jair Bolsonaro, who embraced Washington regime change plots against Maduro, backing the so-called “interim” government of opposition figure Juan Guaidó.
Monday’s bilateral meeting also focused on reactivating trade between the two countries, which fell precipitously after Bolsonaro’s recognition of Guaidó, severely impacting populations on both sides of the border. The pair also discussed efforts to advance regional integration.
Guest:
Ricardo Vaz, political analyst and editor at Venezuelanalysis.com. Ricardo Vaz on Facebook; Venezuelanalysis on Facebook and Twitter.
Additional links:
Venezuela‘s Maduro Floats BRICS Entry in ‘Historic’ Bilateral Meeting with Lula in Brazil
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